by Erin Trejo
“So what?” Wolf asks looking between us.
“She’s pregnant with my kid and tryin’ to take it away from me!” he roars.
“What?” We all turn when we hear that voice. Fucking Riley.
Twelve
Shaft
Oh, this is just fucking great. This isn’t what I needed today. I tug at my hair as Temple screams and walks back down the hallway.
“She’s pregnant?” Riley asks sounding as shocked as I was. I close my eyes and try to keep myself calm but that isn’t working out so well. I need to think. I need to get a drink.
“Not now, Riley.”
“Well? Is she?” she screams louder.
Just as I’m about to answer her, I hear Dez yell. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. This day gets better and better.
“I can’t stay here now!” Temple yells.
I look over my shoulder and see her carrying a bag, heading for the door.
“Don’t you ignore me, Shaft! It is yours?” Riley asks sounding pissed off.
“Temple,” I call out to her but she ignores me.
“Shaft!” Riley yells. My head is spinning. I don’t know what the hell is happening to me right now. I’m stressed the fuck out. I don’t know what to do or where to turn.
“Shit,” Wolf grumbles under his breath. I start to head toward Temple when Riley steps in front of me.
“Where are you going?” she asks looking up at me. Fake tears. Is that fake crying? She can’t be doing this to me right now.
“Move, Riley.”
“Shaft?” she says again sounding pissed this time.
“I’ve never put my hands on a woman before so don’t make me do it now,” I growl. Riley’s mouth falls open but she doesn’t say another word as I move past her. Temple’s already out the door walking toward the truck when I catch up to her. I grab the bag and turn to head back inside while Dez watches. She doesn’t say a word, which I’m thankful for.
“Give it to me, Shaft,” Temple says holding her hand out to me.
“I’m a fuck up, Temple. I know that much, but if you think that I’m gonna let you walk out of this clubhouse and out into the fuckin’ world where that bastard is, you’re crazy.” Her eyes narrow at me and her mouth begins to open but I slap my hand over it to stop her. Her eyes widen slightly. “Don’t you dare say a word. You came here for a reason. I’m leavin’. You’re stayin’.” Lowering my hand, she shakes her head.
“I can’t stay here now! She’s here.” The words fall from her mouth before she clamps her lips closed. That’s what’s bothering her? That Riley’s here? That’s an easy one. Riley can go. I can meet her somewhere else to hear about how the baby is doing.
“She’s gone,” I say turning and walking back toward the door.
“No she isn’t!”
“Shut up, Temple.”
“No, Shaft! She’s pregnant with your baby!”
“All of which I know, sweetheart. And so are you. Now shut the fuck up, Temple.” I pull the door open and watch her, waiting on her to move. She doesn’t. She stands there as defiant as ever, arms crossed over her chest. She’s pushing my buttons right now.
“Move it, Temple, or I’m carryin’ your ass back in there!” She looks at me like it’s all a joke. As if I wouldn’t do it. I motion for her once more, and when she doesn’t move, I do. Stalking back toward her, I grab her around the waist and toss her body over my shoulder. Smacking my hand roughly on her ass, she squeals.
“Let me go,” she yells as I stomp through the door. Dezzy laughs behind us as I keep walking. As soon as I step through the door, Riley huffs.
“Shut up, Temple,” I tell her once more. She doesn’t and yells louder. I ignore her, slapping her ass once more. That does it. She finally closes her mouth but Riley doesn’t. She keeps yelling and follows us down the hallway. I don’t stop walking until I get to Temple’s room, dropping her on the bed. She climbs back up and stares at me.
“What the hell are you doing, Shaft? This is bullshit. You got her pregnant too? And you! You said you would stay away from him!” Riley screams at the top of her lungs.
I’m completely fucked here. I don’t know what to do.
“I didn’t plan on it! In fact, my offer still stands. I will stay away from him!” Temple yells back.
Wolf and Gauge stand in the door and smile as they watch the showdown. Assholes.
“You get out,” I point toward Riley. “You shut up.” I turn to point at Temple.
“Why don’t you shut up. You’re the one fucking around with both of us!” Riley yells.
“I mean it, Riley. I’m about to lose my shit here and the first one I’m goin’ for is you,” I warn her.
Wolf must be able to see the look in my eyes. He moves in and grabs Riley even when she screams at him. Dragging her out of the room, I lower my head when I hear the door click shut.
“Go after her,” Temple says softly.
“Shut up, Temple.” I rub my temples, a headache forming.
“She needs you.”
“I said shut up, Temple.” I don’t raise my voice or look up at her.
“She’s pregnant, Shaft.”
“So are you.” I slowly lift my head and look at her, my stomach knotting up.
“What are you doing, Marc?”
“Why is it Shaft when you want to push my buttons but I’m Marc when you want me to be?” She doesn’t answer. She just looks at me, a sparkle in her eyes. She’s perfect. How can that asshole not see that but a bastard like me can?
“How many times do we need to do this?”
“No more. We don’t need to do it anymore, Temple. You needed a place to stay. You’re here. I’m leavin’, okay? She won’t be around here anymore.” Turning on my heel, I want nothing more than to grab her and hold her but I can’t. She doesn’t want this, and frankly, I’m confused. She kisses me back like she can’t get enough of me. She lets me touch her but then she shoves me away.
“This is your place,” she says softly.
“It’s the clubhouse. It isn’t just my place. I’ll be around, Temple, but I won’t stay here. You got free rein, darlin’. Don’t worry, okay? Just relax and if you need anything you got my number.” Solemnly, I turn and walk out of her room and down the hall. She doesn’t call out to me and I don’t know how I feel about that. Do I want her to?
“Shit’s gettin’ a little hot, yeah?” I nod at Sly after he speaks.
“Yeah. I’m headin’ home, brother. I can’t do this shit right now. Call me, yeah?” He nods his head and I head for the door. I need a break. Maybe I need to call my mom. Sounds like a bitch move but I’m close to my mom. I need some advice. I need some kind of guidance here because I feel like I’m spiraling into a place I might not be able to come back from. Shaking my head, I grab my helmet, pull it on, and head out.
Thirteen
Temple
I shove the last bite of my apple into my mouth before the overhead comes on. We have a crash victim on the way in in less than five minutes. Tossing the core into the trash, I head in that direction. Grabbing a pair of gloves on the way, I slip them on and wait. It doesn’t take long for the paramedics to come in rattling off their list of vitals. I take note of all of them but when I look down I gasp.
“Barnie?” I know him. Old Barnie. What the hell happened to him?
“Hey, sweetheart. Didn’t expect to see me, did you?” He tries to wink but the gash above his eye doesn’t allow it. The doctors get to work and so do I. Everyone is rushing around. His injuries aren’t life-threatening but they are bad. I’m in the hall filling out some paperwork when the doctor comes out.
“Temple? Do you know him?” I look over and nod. “He is being difficult. I don’t want to sedate him. Can you talk to him?”
“Of course, Dr. Ranger.” I turn on my heel and walk into the room. They have him sitting up slightly but I can see the anger in his eyes. It’s almost amusing to se
e. I know how he’s been at the clubhouse, I’ve met him more than once. He’s mouthy and doesn’t take anything from anyone.
“Are you giving them hell?” I ask raising an eyebrow. He chuckles and shakes his head coughing.
“They wanna stick a tube in me, Temple. I might be old but I sure as shit ain’t got no problem pissin’.” His eyes crinkle at the corners and I find myself laughing with him.
“But they don’t want you to get out of bed. See, there is a plus side.”
“Not happenin’ darlin’.”
“Oh, come on. It isn’t that bad. I promise they won’t hurt you.”
“I’ll make you a deal. They can shove that tube in my cock if you talk to Shaft.”
I should have seen that one coming. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen him. We keep our distance. He left just like he said he would and I’m still hunting for an apartment that I can’t find. Nothing is affordable for me right now.
“I can’t do that right now.”
“Then they can’t stick a hose in my cock,” he says smirking at me. I know he needs it. He has a collapsed lung and they don’t want him up and moving. I figured they’d knock him out but OB is stubborn as hell.
“Fine. Get the hose and I’ll talk to him.” Crossing my arms over my chest, he smirks at me once more. Evil old bastard.
“I see that look.”
“What look is that?”
“The look that says when I get outta here you’re gonna have my ass.” He tries to chuckle again.
“You might be right.”
“Love hurts sometimes, Temple. It can tear you up and spit you out. It can get hard as hell at times but that’s when you know you’re alive, yeah?”
Shaking my head slowly, one word jumps out at me. Love. We’re not in love.
“We don’t love each other, Barnie.” He nods his head toward my chest and I suck in a breath.
“That why you’re wearin’ his pendant around your neck?” I close my eyes for a second and reach up, wrapping my fingers around the little piece of gold. It isn’t much. It’s just a small circle that looks like a coin but it was mixed in with my things when I tried to leave. I’m not sure how it got in with my stuff but it was there and I knew it was his.
“It’s not like that,” I tell him as I open my eyes and look at him.
“Maybe not to you. Can you call Sly for me?” I nod my head and turn to quickly leave the room, not wanting him to see me cry because I can feel the tears as they well up. I choke them down and grab the phone to dial the clubhouse.
“Yeah?”
“Is Sly around?”
“Who is asking?” Is that Mary? Fucking whore.
“It’s Temple. Give him the damn phone,” I snap into the line before glancing around to make sure no one heard me talking like that. I could lose this job and that’s the last thing I need. I can hear movement on the other end before he gets on.
“Yeah?”
“Hey, Sly. It’s Temple. I’m working the ER today and OB was brought in. There was an accident.”
“Jesus fuck! Is he okay?”
“He will be. He wanted me to call you,” I tell him.
“We’re on the way.” The line goes dead before I can say anything further. I knew he’d rush over here. It’s how they are. They always look out for each other. When I get back into the room to tell OB, he’s sound asleep. Dr. Ranger shrugs and smiles. I knew he would fight them.
“Are you off?” he asks.
“Yeah. His friends will be in soon.” He nods his head but doesn’t say anything else.
I leave the room and head to the lounge to grab my purse before heading to the waiting room. Dropping down in one of the chairs, I sigh. I’m tired but I can’t leave until I know they are here. Instead, I close my eyes and let myself doze off. I’m sleeping good until I feel myself moving. Freaking out, I snap my eyes open and start to yell when lips cover mine. I know those lips all too well.
“What are you doing?”
“Not goin’ to jail at the hospital,” Shaft says softly.
“Put me down.”
“You’re tired.”
“I’m fine. I can walk,” I tell him. He chuckles and sets me on my feet as I look around to see where I am. ICU? What the hell? How did I get up here?
“They brought OB here to keep an eye on him,” Shaft says when he sees my confusion.
“I fell asleep that long?” I ask more to myself but he nods in response.
“I sat with you but you looked uncomfortable as fuck down there.” Rubbing my eyes, I glance around once more when he grabs my hand in his. Heat sizzles up my arm but I can’t do this, not right now. I was doing so well in the time we were apart.
“I need to go.”
“We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t. Shit, yes we do. I promised him.”
“He’s gonna be okay, right?” This is the first time since we started talking that he’s sounded unsure of himself.
“Oh God. Yes. He is going to be fine. I’m so sorry, Shaft. I should have said that,” I say in a rush. He nods and lets out a breath.
“Good. I’m glad. Kinda scared us all when we heard.”
“Sly didn’t stay on the phone long enough for me to tell him.” Shaft smiles.
“I heard that. Look, I don’t know what you been thinkin’ but that’s all I been doin’. I don’t wanna stay away from you, Temple.”
“We don’t have a choice. This is what’s best for everyone.”
“She ran off,” he says quickly.
“What?”
“Riley. I don’t know where she is. She fuckin’ left, takin’ my kid with her. What kind of mother does that?”
“I’m not her. I’m not going to leave so you can’t see the baby, Shaft. I wouldn’t do that.” He nods at my words. Even if I have to stay away from him, I wouldn’t keep him from his child.
“I know. I know you wouldn’t but fuck. This is such a goddamn mess. I don’t know what to do anymore, darlin’.”
I hate the sadness in his eyes. I hate that he’s having such a hard time with all of this, but I also know that I need to protect myself in this situation, too.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry, Shaft.”
“Marc. Why can’t you call me Marc?” His tone is nearly pleading and I want to give in but I won’t. I can’t.
“I need to go.”
Fourteen
Shaft
She walked away from me again. It killed a part of me. I want her, I want her next to me. I might not know everything there is to know about her, but fuck, I know that I want her. Running my hand through my hair, I sigh once more. My gun is in my hand, ready to kill. The kid on the ground in front of me looks to be in his early twenties. He doesn’t shake, doesn’t cry. In fact, he looks almost emotionless.
“You were one of them, yeah?” I ask once more when he doesn’t answer. It pisses me off a little that he is one of the ones who fucked with Dezzy. We knew there were a few still lingering around. Even though Sly found this piece of shit, there are still a few more around.
“Fuck you. Do what you’re doing and let’s get this over with.” I raise my eyebrow and look over at Gauge. He’s practically vibrating with anger right now and rightfully so.
“So eager to die, yeah?” Remy asks.
“Yeah, he is.” Holding the gun to the side of his head, I wait. What am I waiting for? Him to cry? Him to repent for his sins? He doesn’t give a damn that he hurt someone else’s child. He doesn’t care that he could have killed her with the drugs they were supplying her with. He just…doesn’t care. I blow out a breath and just as I’m about to pull the trigger, Gauge stops me.
“Wait,” he calls out. I turn my head to look at him wondering what the hell he’s doing. He doesn’t say anything, just stands there staring at the kid like he’s a fucking mirage.
“What the fuck is it? Havin’ second thoughts?” I ask.
“He’s someone’s kid,” he says keeping
his eyes on the boy at my feet.
“Yeah? And Dezzy is ours. That’s enough for me,” I say pressing the gun harder to the side of his head.
“You think about this shit? With a kid on the way?” Gauge asks looking over at me.
I pull my eyes from the kid to Gauge’s wondering where he’s going with this. I shake my head not rightly giving a shit. He helped hurt Dez and that’s all I need to know.
“I think that if I have a daughter and this motherfucker fucked with her the way they did, I’d kill them all. I’d make every one of them fuckin’ feel the pain they caused her.” A shiver runs down my spine as I look at him. He sees it. Gauge nods his head and that’s all the go ahead I need from him. Pulling the trigger, the kid falls to the floor in a puddle of his own blood. He lies there lifeless and I wonder if this is what people feel like when they lose a child. I don’t feel it with the ones that Riley and Temple are pregnant with because they aren’t born yet but I can’t even imagine the hell I’d bring down on them if they ever touched my kid. There’s a slight pang of remorse sitting in my stomach knowing that someone out there just lost their child to my hands yet at the same time, I know if anyone ever hurt one of my kids the way he did, the end results would be the same.
“Where’d your head go?” I ask Gauge as I step around the body. I set my gun on the ledge and pull out a cigarette and light up.
“I don’t know, brother. Just been thinkin’ a lot lately. Shit with your old lady and Temple. I just couldn’t imagine losin’ a kid like that,” he says nodding toward the dead body.
“You thinkin’ about havin’ kids?” I ask offering my pack to him. Gauge moves over and takes one from the pack, lighting it up.
“Dez has been. I’m not sure I’m ready for all that yet. Shit with her is still settlin’, and I don’t want to add to the stress she already has, you know?” I watch him blow out a ring of smoke before cracking his neck from side to side.
“She has a lot to deal with but I think she knows what she can handle.”
